Chicago Tribune art critic Alan G. Artner reviews The Language Barrier.
Mel Bochner has a way with words — Conceptual Art pioneer's works at Art Institute, Spertus
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South African art activist Kendell Geers has created the second temporary work commissioned by the Spertus Museum on the construction barricade for its new building... » read more
Kay Rosen's "Hello Again" is the first in a series of site-specific artworks commissioned by the Spertus Museum for the barrier on the construction site of its new addition. » read more
Site-Specific Artworks
Kay Rosen, Hello Again, 2006, Printed vinyl
Commissioned by Spertus Museum
Photograph by Thomas A. Nowack
The Language Barrier
Kay Rosen
January 2006
Kay Rosen's Hello Again is the first artwork presented on the Spertus construction barricade, which is 51 feet long and 8 feet high. Her text greets viewers with two HI's but also challenges them to find multiple meanings in the juxtaposition of the two words THEIR and HEIR. As Spertus prepares to move into its new facility, the concepts of heritage and legacy are increasingly germane. Describing how the arrangement of the letters themselves echoes the subject of the work, Rosen wrote, "It's important to me that THEIR passes down part of itself, HEIR, to posterity as indicated by its position after THEIR. HEIR inherits four letters from THEIR. The T falls away, just as nothing is inherited or passed down in its entirety. Some things are lost to the past." At the same time, it is this rich past that Spertus builds on as we look toward the future.
Kendell Geers
May - September 18, 2006
Kendell Geers' BE/LIE/VE is the second installment of The Language Barrier.
Mel Bochner
September, 2006
Mel Bochner's The Joys of Yiddish is the third installment of The Language Barrier.